Glasgow continually churns out a cultural output to threaten, if not steal, London's crown as the most creative place to live and work in the UK.

And now, more than ever before, the city is really showing its true colours to reflect its status.

Be it on an artistic or musical level the real engine that motors the city's pulsating heart is not to be found as it once was in the Clydeside factories, warehouses or shipyards, but rather in the workspaces, recording studios and DJ booths of the city.

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Spaces that call home to a productive and diverse bunch that rarely operate on a standard 9-5 shift; folk whose energy and drive to succeed and flourish in the city encourages the rest of us to follow suit in a way far more tangible, interesting and real than any 'reality' tv show and its participants could ever portray.

Here's our pick of 18 people we believe that together help to sum up perfectly where Glasgow is going in 2017.

Illyus and Barrientos

Coming from the distinct backgrounds of hip hop and classical music has had them labelled jokingly as 'the odd couple' of Glaswegian dance music. But there's nothing odd about Illyus Brown & Ivan Hall Barrientos's relentless production of outstandingly alluring, built for dancing house tracks such as 'Love You So Much' and 'Strings' - both of which has propelled them to new levels of hype. With more tracks on the way and a trip to Croatia's Hideout festival in June, 2017 is going to be massive for them.

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Rachel Maclean

Recipient of the 2014 Margaret Tait award, the Edinburgh-born, Glasgow based multi-media artist's 'mad' films mix the dystopian with the surreal and socio-political, films which will represent Scotland at the 57th edition of the Venice Biennale - the world's most important visual arts exhibitions, which takes place between 13 May until 26 November 2017.

Kirsty Halliday and Stuart Truesdale (I'll Be Your Mirror)

Founders of a creative style agency that's hotter than a Charing Cross curry, IBYM's forward thinking methodology and expert art direction and editorial production has seen their work grace the pages of ID, Hunger and Kaltblut magazines in the last year. With big ideas and plans promised by the uber cool duo in 2017, it won't be long till they claim Sauchiehall St as their own catwalk for those among us who like to get suited and booted.

Leo Condie

Leo Condie

Speaking of suited and booted, few within the Glasgow, and Scottish, music scene, can match Condie's wardrobe yet alone vocal ability. Frontman of funk-guitar aficionados White, the city's most exciting band since Franz Ferdinand, he led the group through a triumphant co-headlining show at the ABC in December with fellow Glasgow rockers Baby Strange, a gig that proved beyond doubt that the five piece more than justify the hype. A big 2017 full of future pleasures is expected from Leo and the band.

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Katie Lees

A graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, Katie is a designer/maker whose bespoke contemporary jewellery reflects a unique style which takes inspiration from the industrial docklands of the River Clyde and the city's ship building heritage. Her work has featured on musician Helen Marnie's album cover and on the front cover of book The Art of Soldering for Jewellery Makers, and after a successful 2016 which saw her move to a new studio and gain a plethora of new clients, 2017 sure does look bright for Katie.

C Duncan

The son of classical musicians, West-End based composer, musician and accomplished painter Christopher has released two albums to critical acclaim, 'Architect' and recent release 'The Midnight Sun'. With a Mercury Prize nomination under his belt, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama graduate will soon tour the UK twice both himself and later in support of Elbow, as his stock, and live presence, increases in 2017.

Chloe and Hannah Van Thompson

Hannah and Chloe Van Thompson (Image: Trinity Mirror)

Twin sisters at the helm of surf pop aficionados The Van Ts alongside bassist Joanne Forbes and drummer Shaun Hood, Chloe and Hannah have found the time to purposefully assault Glasgow's music scene with their insanely catchy and potent output in 2016 while finalising their studies in nursing at Caledonian University. And with a headline show as part of King Tuts New Year's Resolution calendar of gigs coming up very soon, they are starting 2017 on the front foot.

Bryan M Ferguson

Described by Matt Lloyd of the Glasgow Short Film Festival as a “a true maverick", the 29 year old Glasgow/Florida based filmmaker and photographer is one of the most unique voices in the Scottish short film community. After realising at the tender age of four that he wanted to be a filmmaker, Ferguson has matured into a man equipped with a caustic sense of humour and an interest in the macabre. His most recent film, Flamingo, screens at the London Short Film Festival this week.

Nightwave

Nightwave (Image: Nightwave/Facebook)

Regarded as one of the leading lights in the UK underground music scene, the Slovenia- born Southside DJ, producer and part-time Egyptologist has nurtured a loyal following with her moody and atmospheric brand of electronica. Owner of Heka Trax record label, she also runs her own Nightrave/BamBam club nights in the city at La Cheetah/The Rum Shack. While away from the studio, if there's a night worth going to in Glasgow, she is either part of it or at it. One to follow in 2017.

Ross Keppie

Cassette champion and owner of Glasgow DIY record label/party planners Fuzzkill Records, Shetland born Keppie deserves a medal as the architect of some of Glasgow's best nights in 2016, such as the 'Freakender' weekend in The Old Hairdressers back in September. And with the label being responsible for early releases by the likes of Spinning Coin and Catholic Action, we hope the Fuzzkill calendar for 2017 is filling up nicely with treats for us.

Helen Marnie

After five albums as lead vocalist of Liverpool electro-pop quartet Ladytron, Glasgow-born and based Helen is busy working on the follow up to her successful 2013 debut solo album Crystal World. Working with producer Jonny Scott, Marnie has labelled album number 2 'a war between digital and analogue' choc full of vintage synths. A recent video shoot in Arrochar suggests it won't be long until she is back with new material in early 2017.

Ralph McClure & Keir Reid

HolyEsque (Image: HolyEsque/Facebook)

While not producing shimmering slices of indie rock as drummer and keyboard player respectively for Glasgow four piece HolyEsque, Ralph and Keir are hard it work within the confines of Glasgow School of Art. In December 2016 the two artists/musicians collaborated with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra to promote the Orchestra's Scottish Inspirations on Social Media. And with new HolyEsque material hopefully on the way in 2017, there's little stopping their creative drive.

Eilidh Mackaskill

Glasgow-based live artist, freelance performer and theatre maker Eilidh creates solo performance work for children and adults alongside collaborative projects as artistic director of Fish And Game. After wowing crowds in 2016 with her wonderfully edgy solo show, 2017 sees Eilidh working as a research artist supported by Imaginate leading on Gendersaurus Rex, a major new project exploring gender, sexuality, queerness and difference in children’s performance.

Clair Crawford

Since launching her own boutique record label in 2013, Clair Crawford's Hot Gem has grown year on year. Against a policy of 'no indie guitar bands', the label currently features acts such as Colombian psychedelic producer OKRAA, Glasgow's own electro-rock adventurers Machines in Heaven and fresh faced musician/producer Monkoora. And after collaborating with the likes of the Havana Glasgow Film Festival in 2016, you'd be hard pushed to find anyone who has their finger on the pulse like Clair as we begin 2017.